Tempered Spirits
by Ashtari
Summary: To truly have strength, one must endure hardship. Kagome is no different. With Kouga's help, will she stand firm in an unfamiliar and unforgiving world, or be forced to yield?
1. Prologue

**All right, I'll warn you in advance. This is not Sess/Kag. It's not Kouga/Kag. Ships are overrated. And that's all you get out of me on that score. **

**This is an experiment, an idea I've had in my head and my notebook for far too long to ignore. **

**And I hope that you enjoy it. 'Ware the angst, Captain! Rough seas ahead!**

**-Ash**

* * *

Darkness.

Her world was filled with darkness—and then _sound._ She had thought that death would be……quiet. Shouldn't it have been? She struggled, her fogged mind ticking through what she'd been told about death. Serenity? Yes…peace, completion…yes, yes, those had merit. But where the hell was the quiet?

Nowhere had it been mentioned the resounding barrage in her head. Her dark world _became_ sound, as if the dull roar that echoed through her ears was all that remained. Her existence was a rhythm, a steady pulsing rumble that marked time through her heartbeat.

She came to herself slowly, blinking as she struggled to open her eyes and discover what remained of the rest of her world. In the interminable darkness before her, images flashed in her mind's eye, then steadied, expanded, and began to flow into memory after hated memory. Memories that flowed into unrelenting reality. And in reality she found how much she _hurt_.

Death wasn't supposed to hurt, either……was it?

As that thought registered, so did something more powerful. Her limbs, what she could feel of them, began at first to throb, then increased to an intense, consuming fire that began at her core, as if she was burning from the inside out. That molten core was seeping laboriously through her veins, leaking through her pores and blistering the very skin that bound her. The pain…_Oh..Kami..._

In fear, in agony, her eyes opened wide against the world. She had time to take in white-- searing white that branded her eyes before she could take no more. She drew one long, punishing breath to scream—just as she passed back into the darkness.

Blessed, merciful darkness.

* * *

Sesshomaru stood over her now-still form, silent and enigmatic, pristine white silks for once covered in muck. Blood, gore, and dirt covered him, leaves and random bits of earth adorned his long hair. His customary refinement shattered, he felt as he looked—tired, filthy, and discontent. But _alive--_which was singularly more than he could say for most of his surroundings. He pulled his gaze from the unconscious miko who would be the last to recover and surveyed the damage.

The destruction had been absolute—and the cost high. The blasted earth floor of the clearing was covered in a fine, slick film that clung to his boots like clotted mud. It was almost as if Naraku was trying—_again—_to regenerate with every footfall, with every step that gathered more of the caked mud on the soles of his boots. It did not ease his mind that the blood of those who had fought against Naraku was mixed with his foul remains. It seemed….dishonorable. Perhaps even more shameful than the mixing of his brother's human and demon blood. _…Perhaps_.

The trees and canopy encompassing the clearing sustained damage as well, the foremost blackened, still smoking, or dripping in more of the same foul substance that caked the ground. Several were uprooted, and still others would carry scars across their trunks for many years. He glanced again at the motionless miko, sure that the trees would not be alone in those scars.

Three humans dead; no matter how he had despised them, they had fought bravely and died well. Their names would be honored.

One young fox-demon. Thrown far from the battleground, the child's form lay still and lifeless, still clutching the bloody fur of the nekoyoukai sprawled next to him.

A pile of ash and bones lay nearby, all that remained of the detested miko from his half-brother's past. She, too, had died well, sacrificing herself as was needed--finally. Her demise had given the living miko the power to do what she could not have done alone—purify Naraku and complete the Shikon no Tama.

And finally, the last of the tragic dead—his half-brother. Wounds criss-crossed his body, his blood scattered throughout the clearing. Tessaiga lay quiescent not far from him, crimson saturating the grip and tang of the blade. Not even his youkai could have saved him from his fate at Naraku's hands—or tentacles, as the case had been. Even in death he seemed angry, agitated that he had not outlasted his enemy. Sesshomaru wondered idly how much more agitated Inuyasha would have been to learn he had not outlasted the wolf.

Though the wolf demon was badly injured and unconscious, he would survive—much good another wolf would do the world.

Tensaiga held uselessly in his hands, he surveyed the scene before him, wondering if what he felt was guilt….or was it shame? He was tempted to throw the sword away in disgust, ineffectual contraption as it had proven itself to be. The final insult to this day had been its defiance, its refusal to revive those who had lost their lives in this final battle against Naraku. Not even a whisper came from the sword, not a single, solitary sign that it wished to revive the deceased—just a mocking quiet that raked against his already fragile patience.

Movement distracted him from his thoughts, and he scented the breeze that had finally deigned to enter the clearing. His eyes narrowed. _Wolves…probably after their leader._ He turned, examining the wolf demon where he lay, a broken bleeding mess. Both legs were severely injured; Naraku's brutal removal of the Shikon shards from his legs had left them fractured in a dozen places and the wolf unconscious.

Let his own followers take care of him—he'd served his purpose.

When the clay miko had finally met her end, the resulting power transfer to Kagome had surprised them all. The wolf had kept Naraku busy as the living miko found and destroyed Naraku's heart, the resulting blast throwing them all in various directions across the clearing, landing haphazardly wherever they might—and completely obliterating Naraku.

Had he known…that damned miko. In the end, he supposed she had killed his half-brother as she had always swore that she would, simply by staying alive until he'd died. She'd kept her power from the girl who'd traveled with Inuyasha, keeping the stolen part of her soul until it was too late for Kagome to save him.

Sesshomaru recognized this emotion all too well—disgust. He should have killed her himself long ago. But ill-advisedly, he'd left that task to his brother. _The fool._

Crashing in the undergrowth surrounding the area signaled the arrival of two demons that pulled up short just at the edge of the clearing. Wolf demons by their smell, they were quickly flanked by scores of their lesser, four-legged brethren. He turned toward them and they shrank back, his youki overpowering them—but as he was taiyoukai, they observed protocol and at least lowered their heads in deference. Despite the observance, they shook, and the lesser of them whined quietly, slinking backwards into the shadows of the forest, tails between their legs. The two in front held firm however, determined.

"You come for the wolf." Sesshomaru did not ask—more a statement than anything, which tacitly gave them permission to collect their comrade.

A gulp. Two. A slow gathering of courage. "Y..yes, Lord Sesshomaru." Despite their unease, they looked past him and in turn surveyed the carnage, gasping and whispering quietly to each other. Sesshomaru chose to ignore most of their exchange, but did catch the phrases, "we were too late.." and "sister..".

"Take your leader and leave this place." His voice startled them, and after a moment they bobbed their heads, rushing to the fallen wolf's side and grasping him under his arms to drag him to the edge of the clearing. They were careful….almost. The injured wolf emitted a low growl and then subsided, as the two holding him ducked their heads sheepishly.

"Take the miko as well." This time his voice stopped them short and they turned as one to stare, mouths agape, almost dropping the wolf they held between them. He barely managed not to grit his teeth. "She is alive and gravely injured, as well as exhausted from her ordeal. I have neither the time presently, nor the means, to nurse a human back to health." He turned to face them, right hand infused with a deadly green aura, light whip readied in case they missed his intent. Wolves could be dense at times. They found it easy to dismiss commands as requests—but not his-and not today. "And I would be gravely displeased were she to die."

Surprisingly, both nodded and the darker of the two hurried over to the prone miko, gently lifting her small frame with a quietly whispered, "Sis…"

Good. That was taken care of. He reached out a clawed hand and stopped the wolf carrying the miko as he passed, startling the young demon. "Your companions can see to the humans and the kitsune. The neko too. Take them to the village that was their home with my half-brother…Edo, I believe."

The young demon nodded distractedly, his glance shifting from the irritated taiyoukai before him, to the fallen hanyou, and back again. He opened his mouth to speak, but looking back at Sesshomaru's hand—which had not completely lost its green tint—he snapped it shut again.

Sesshomaru released the wolf with a curt nod to send him on his way and surreptitiously wiped his hand on his hakama, dirty and bloody as they were. _Better than the smell of wolf on my hand…_ His gaze, too, followed that of the wolf's to his prone brother. _Ah, Father. _Defeated by the memory and expectations of his noble father, he refused to follow that trail of thought; what would his father think of the outcome of his half-brother's life? Or his own, who had survived while his brother had given his life in battle? It bore consideration—later.

For now….

"I will tend to my brother."


	2. Travelers

**Another chapter for you! I'm surprised myself at how easily this one came. Perspective and placement changes quite a bit in this one, setting up for the next chapters. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

**-Ash**

* * *

In near-darkness she drifted, lazily moving through the pale mist surrounding her, confused. She couldn't find her companions anywhere. 

_I should be following them. Why won't they wait?_ She indulged in a moment of exasperation as she continued to peer through the haze. _Damn Inuyasha—he's always so impatient! At least Sango could have waited for me...or Shippou. He wouldn't have forgotten me…would he?_

The misty place she now inhabited seemed fluid; cold fog swirling around her in silent eerie ebbs and flows. Light and dark were engaged in a finely choreographed dance, the atmosphere shifting constantly from the silent, hopeful, near-dawn of morning to the quiet, still darkness of evening. She let her gaze wander, hoping to catch sight of her companions through the gloom.

However, instead of finding the hoped-for distinct red that she sought, her eyes every once in a while would catch a patch of white--the indistinct shape of bone or skull that would vanish upon closer inspection. _Bones…but I…_

Suddenly, she knew this place. She had been here before—with Inuyasha.

She was in the border between this world and the next.

_No! _She fought the panic that threatened to overwhelm her, seeking desperately around her for direction. She spun, casting about in the pale shadows for any glimmer, any hopeful object that would look familiar, a landmark with which to gain her bearings. _Inuyasha's father. I need to find...dammit! Where **are** they!_ The mist fought her, gaining strength and density as it swirled around her, mocking her seeking eyes and stealing from her the glimpses of landmarks she might have seen. Hands clenched at her sides she spun, once—twice—a whirlwind of spinning fog and tears and desperation.

Panicked, alone, and hopelessly lost, she cried out, pleading for them to hear her, to come back. _Wait for me! Don't leave me here! Sango! Miroku! Shippou! ..Kohaku!_

_Inuyasha!_

* * *

"_Inuyasha!_" 

Her cry woke them all with a start. Huddled in the small cave to avoid the stinging caress of the rain whipping by their stone sanctuary, Ginta had been drowsily keeping watch until her anguished voice had pierced through his fatigue. Scrambling from his damp perch near the mouth of the cave, he rushed to Kagome's side amidst a chorus of confused growls from his half-asleep companions.

She had been so dangerously quiet for so long as they'd traveled, he was afraid that moving her from the battle site had done her more harm than good—it wasn't healthy to move the injured, he knew that.

But one just didn't disobey Sesshomaru.

Kagome had developed a high fever shortly after they had moved out, and it was by sheer luck that they'd been able to find this small cave to take shelter in when they'd scented the oncoming storm. She'd lain quietly, sweating, for the better part of the afternoon, guarded by a motley assortment of wolves and wolf demons—all looking to him for instruction. His companions had, for the most part, no experience with injured humans except as prey. Even for those who had experience with Kagome it was an odd situation for them to be in, and the inexperience had them all as nervous and jumpy as cats.

As the evening came upon them, he'd begun to wonder if she'd ever wake. Looking down at her broken body and pinched, pained features, he thought perhaps it would be better that she didn't—not for a while at least.

"Kagome? Sister?" Hesitantly and quietly he called her name, hoping that if she _did_ wake she would recognize him and not fear the unfamiliar surroundings. He knew how unconscious wolves reacted when awakened in unknown surroundings—he didn't think that a human waking in a similar situation would be any more comforted.

She looked up at him with wild, unseeing eyes, the dull-grey irises moving rapidly, lighting on him, the cave, his companions—but not for any more than a moment. She looked up at him again and her eyes almost focused—until they rolled back in her head again as she lost consciousness.

"Dammit." He clenched his fist and swore, ignoring the curious looks from his brethren. They didn't understand—she was special. She'd saved his life, more than once. He owed a life-debt to her, he and so many others, and he'd be damned if he'd let her die on his watch.

_Soon, Kagome, I promise. In the morning we'll go, even if I have to wrap you in pelts and brave the rain, we're making it to the den tomorrow. You need Nori. He'll know what to do. You need a healer._ He turned away from her battered body.

_Soon._

With one more furtive, despairing glance at the driving rain outside, he sighed and resumed his vigil.

_Besides…if she dies, Kouga will kill me._

* * *

"Kouga, you can't possibly mean to leave." Kaede peered through red, tear-roughened eyes at the young wolf demon, her patience wearing thin. In the week that he'd been captive in her village by his injuries—and the duties assigned them to honor the dead—he had been nervous, fidgety and restless. She thought painfully that it was almost akin to having Inuyasha in the village—his restlessness was contagious when it wasn't annoying, and it made her itch to leave this place and seek out Kagome, wherever she was. The pain in her chest at the thought of their names was not the pang of old age, but of loss. She felt surrounded by the dead. She needed the living. 

And an irritated and fractious wolf demon was fidgeting in her hut, clearly impatient to be elsewhere. If she were not so tired after the past six days of prayer and preparation, as well as the burden of the deaths of the young people she had taught, scolded, and learned to love, she would have smacked him herself.

"Woman, I need to get back to my people. I need to get back to Kagome." She raised an eyebrow above the band of her eyepatch and leveled a disapproving glare in his direction.

"And what would you do when you get to her, hmm? Tell her that you refused to stay and honor the dead who paid dearly for your lives? Tell her that the friends she so loved were not important enough to you to witness their rites?" She tsked pointedly, eliciting a low growl from Kouga. "She will not thank you for it, I promise you."

She watched as a myriad of expressions flickered in rapid succession across his features, his sharp blue eyes softening ever so slightly—despite the impatient tapping of his carefully wrapped foot on her floor.

"She is loyal. She would not want them to be alone," he agreed, finally. She simply shook her head impassively.

"No, she would not. And as she cannot be here, who was closest to them, then we must witness in her stead. Today is the last, for a time, and you may leave afterwards. She will want reassurance that they have been laid to rest." _And comfort. And protection—the Jewel is whole once again, and wants a protector. But I fear that the protector has been shattered in its place. Oh, Kagome…_

She heaved a suffering sigh. _I am old and I have buried more than my share of loved ones. I am…tired. I had hoped…_ But it did no good to hope. She was old and realism had been gnawing at her bones for ages.

She stood, her joints aching, and motioned solemnly to the wolf demon. "Come. We have preparations and then they pyres must be lit. I will have instructions afterwards, both for Kagome and," she glanced sideways at Kouga, who raised an eyebrow, "for yourself."

For once solemn and quiet, he yielded to her direction, following her out of the hut towards the task that she had once hoped she would not be alive to perform.

* * *

Fire lit her consciousness, the bright light of flame shocking her into awareness. She had halted her rapid but fruitless progression through the fog not long ago, resting her body and her screaming, troubled mind. _They're here, they're here, they have to be here_; the endless mantra began filtering through her mind again, only to be stopped by the flames dancing before her eyes. Dark and light spun again, this time weaving the fabric of the fire that held her gaze like a beacon. Enraptured, she followed the flame, rising and turning as it danced around her. 

Reaching out, she tentatively brought her hand out to touch the swirling flames, making them flare and split, blinding her briefly, forcing her to close her eyes from the light. When she opened them again, the fire had multiplied, the bobbing lights merging and separating into four different flames that danced around her, snaking around her slender form and over her arms, across her chest and around her dark head. They were warm, but not _hot_, the flames that touched her briefly in their passing did not ignite her clothes, nor scorch her tender skin.

Instead, a bubbling warmth began inside of her, bringing a hesitant smile to her lips and an inexplicable laugh to her chest. It rippled through her and as she reached out again to follow the trail of the nearest sphere of flame, she couldn't stop the short giggle that erupted from her lips as the fire slipped just out of her reach, teasing her. It started a game much like tag, the bobbing lights and drifting flame swirling around her, burning away the fog that shrouded their hapless pursuer.

For a time she was lost, the fear and helplessness forgotten in the energy of the game as she dodged and ducked the glowing spheres, twisting and turning and grasping after them as they evaded her advances. With a laugh she reached above her head, where all four were circling, only to draw her hand back as the four merged once again in a flare of brilliant light. Blinking away the spots left on her vision and the tears that were forced from her eyes, she watched as the now-whole sphere sped away, burning away the fog and cutting a path for her to follow.


	3. Awakening

**As you will see in this chapter, I have given the wolves that the wolf-demons run with the ability of mindspeech, much as you might have seen it relayed in Mercedes Lackey's books. I utilized her format for this, as its really the simplest, and easiest to convey. **

**I chose to do this for a number of reasons, the main one being that I did not want to use the inu-or wolf-languages that are prevalent in fanfiction. In canon, we see Kouga speak with wolves, and I'm using a bit of poetic license for the interpretation of HOW he speaks with them. To be honest I didn't want to try and make them speak with yips and barks. :P However, I think it is an acceptable method for the wolves, and those with power over them, to converse, as well as adding a depth to the wolves which we don't often get to see. We've seen how demons are inherently magical creatures, so it stands to reason (at least MY reasoning) that they would have this ability as well. **

**As well, I've sort of made up the societal construction of the wolf-demon tribes, hoping that it makes sense. Don't worry, I didn't forget the Elders…but they'll come in later. **

**For form's sake:**

_**:Mindspeech.:**_

_**Internal Dialogue**_

**I hope you enjoy! **

**-Ash**

* * *

He watched her as she slept. It seemed as if he had always been watching her in one way or another, so this vigil wasn't any different.

Except it was.

She had never been so still, had never looked so pale whenever he had sought her out before. Always, she was full of life, of vitality, of a constant bubbling energy that made you want to hug her, hold her, and smack that silly grin off of her face all at the same time. But now….

Now…she looked frail, broken in more ways than simply the bones of her leg. It almost seemed as if she wasn't really there at all, but somewhere away, to return soon, laughing and talking like before. He almost wished that were the case. He could hear her breathe, could hear the slow but steady rhythm of her heartbeat; she should have awakened by now. But no…it hung on, this shell of her, to life, keeping the body in his trust until the soul returned.

He reached out and tucked the furs tighter to her chin, thinking perhaps the chill and damp of the cave would harm her further.

_:You coddle the bitch.:_

Glancing back towards the mouth of the cave, Kouga pinned a glare at the large silver wolf taking his ease in the doorway, tail curled demurely around his feet.

_:Gin. You intrude.:_ He let his mindvoice tinge with firm annoyance and command, willing the wolf to go elsewhere. He didn't want Kagome waking to the wolves, didn't want her to panic when she woke; though truth to tell, he wasn't really sure _why_ she would, but…well…he fretted.

_:Again, brother. You coddle the bitch.:_ The wolf whuffed what could have been a laugh and leaned forward, stretching first and then turning to lie down on the cool stone floor of the cave. _:She is past losing, brother. Cease your worry.:_

Kouga grumbled irritably, whether at the wolf's annoying habit of ignoring his requests or at the pointed reminder of his own fussing, he wasn't sure. Gin was the oldest of the wolves who followed him, and perversely the least attentive of them all. Granted, there were only the four who followed him closely, and all of them were a tad….eccentric, but Gin was the worst of the lot.

Each of the wolves within the tribe "belonged" or followed a chosen wolf-demon. The choosing held little structure to it, since the wolf-demon could choose a wolf to follow him, or simply accept a wolf who wished to be a part of his den. These dens could be of any size, depending on the number of core leaders within it and the frequency of mating, breeding and whelping. As well, these dens always fluctuated in size, as the younger offspring dispersed from their birthden and integrate themselves into the packs they would eventually stay a part of throughout their adulthood. Each den, under the direction of a wolf-demon, is then under allegiance to a chosen pack leader, or okashira, who in turn owes loyalty to the regional tribal head—a complicated and oftentimes political series of ever-changing mergers and alliances that drove Kouga to distraction. The wolves, themselves, cared very little about which wolf-demon led their packs or tribes, so long as prey was plenty and the pups were sheltered.

Easygoing and independent, the wolves who gave their loyalty to the demon tribes are both more and less than their wild counterparts. While still, and always, retaining those fiercest aspects that made them feared and dangerous in the hunt, they also lost a part of their wild behavior after such prolonged exposure to the demons. Their thought-processes were more developed, and it was honestly as difficult to predict their individual personalities as it was to predict a demon's.

Humans sometimes called them the servants of the wolf-demons. But truly, the wolves were a law unto themselves. And Gin was a perfect case in point.

_:Annoying, flea-ridden wolf-rug.:_

_:Foolish, stubborn pup! Listen to your elder.:_ Tongue lolling, Gin lifted his head off of the cave floor, flashing a wolfish grin.

Snorting, Kouga turned his attention again to the still unconscious Kagome, and couldn't help but sigh. Unnecessary or not, he would worry until she was with them enough to tell him to stop herself.

* * *

She regained consciousness slowly, blinking uncertainly into an increasingly bright—and painful—world. Deliberately, she turned her aching head, surveying her surroundings. She was in some sort of cave, the jagged stone overhead dark and damp with the condensation of groundwater. Roaring again—_damn the sound_—only distantly this time, the echoing rush of a rapid-flowing waterfall. Hushed whispers could be heard close by, coming from somewhere in the general direction of the cave mouth. The feel of coarse furs beneath her confirmed her sluggish suspicions.

_Wolves…Kouga._

Suddenly a face descended into her awareness making her jump, and she gritted her teeth as waves of pain made their way through her limbs. Her leg and arm throbbed, her head ached, and her side burned. It took a moment for her to gain control over her rapid heartbeat and breathing, giving her time to bring the man's—_demon's?_—face almost into focus.

"Ahh..Lady. I'm sorry to have startled you." A smooth, solemn voice attached itself to the face that now was pulling away from her to speak in quiet tones to someone nearby. She didn't bother turning her head—though at this point she rather hoped it would simply snap off—it would be a distinct relief. So she stared at the ceiling, trying again to focus her muddled mind.

The face returned, joined by several others who, after a moment of blinking, she recognized.

Ginta grinned down at her, practically vibrating with glee, and Hakkaku did likewise, the two men looking like a couple of wolfish, fanged boys.

"Sister! You're awake!" Ginta cried out, the sentence echoing through the cave for a long moment before subsiding. It rang out in her head as well, making her wince.

The older demon glared at him, muttering a quiet, "Tchaa.." before turning his attention back to her, despite Ginta and Hakkaku crowding his back for a look at her.

"I apologize. These pups do not seem to understand the nature of a sickroom, I'm afraid." He smiled reassuringly and pulled the furs up under her chin. "I am Nori, incidentally, the healer for this unruly crowd. I have been attending you while you have been recovering." A gentle pat on her shoulder accompanied his words and she found herself smiling dimly up at him.

Turning abruptly to the two demons still in the cave, he gestured towards the cave mouth. "You've seen her, now out, both of you! I have work to do and you have a leader to find. Kouga will want to know she's awake."

A pair of petulant and stubborn faces met Nori's, but he leveled his best glare at them and they both sighed in unison, turning to go. Hakkaku waved jauntily back at her before they both took off at a sprint, intent on finding Kouga.

Nori turned his attention back to her yet again, and heaved a sigh. "I apologize again, Lady. They…mean well. And have been worried about you."

He spoke in a soft sort of soothing voice that Kagome identified with the doctors and nurses of her time—quiet enough not to increase the pounding in her head, but loud enough she didn't have to strain to hear him. _Ahh…bless him. _

Trying to gather her courage, as well as find her own voice again, she drew a breath, then another, fighting the burning in her side to speak. "How…how long….?"

He patted her shoulder again lightly and chuckled. "Ah, yes, the age-old and predictable question of the infirm. Just under a week and a half, Lady, since Ginta brought you to us—you have been in my care since then." He rose and made his way across the cave to where a pack of supplies lay near the entrance. Hefting the large satchel from the floor, he carried it back over to her and settled himself comfortably again before rummaging about inside of it.

Her mind seemed wooden, slow and methodical, going with aching slowness from one point to the next, she was still catching up as he sat down again beside her. "…Ginta?.."

Nori's hands stilled in the satchel for a moment and he peered at her, tilting his head to the side. "You do not remember, Lady?"

She started to shake her head but instantly thought better of it. Instead she only furrowed her brows as she looked up at him, unseeing. She remembered, instead, images that would never leave the recesses of her mind came again to the surface to flash against her eyes. Squeezing them shut she answered quietly, "No…I…remember. But…I don't….remember Ginta."

The sound of scrabbling claws and the clatter of rocks snapped Nori's gaze from Kagome and toward the mouth of the cave at the same time that her eyes snapped open again. He half-rose to meet whoever was at the entrance, but a strong arm pushed him aside and a familiar voice rang through the cave.

"So I hear my woman's finally awake!"

Kagome squeezed her eyes closed again against the volume of his voice. She waited until the throbbing in her head subsided enough for her to open her eyes, and found herself staring at a blurry pair of intense blue eyes.

Over Nori's protests and Ginta and Hakkaku's defenses, she managed to be heard, her voice dull and tired.

"Hello, Kouga-kun."


End file.
